Electrical connecter



Oct. '19 1926.

w. J. GAGNON ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Original Filed Feb. 29, 1924 Patented a. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

WILLIAM J'. GAGNON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE 'BEAD CHAIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER.

' Original application filed February 29, 1924, Serial No. 695,972. Divided and this application filed October 9. 1925.

Reference may be had to the accompany ing drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

This application is a division of an application filed by me February 29, 1924, Se- .rial No. 695,972, for electrical connecters.

The principal object of the invention is to obtain a more effective engagement be tween the cooperating contact portions of the connecter. 4

Other objects will appear in connection with the following description.

Fig. 1. of the drawings is a view in side elevation of a socket-member of an electrical connecter with the housing partly broken-away to expose to view the two sockets which are made in accordance with my in vention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of a broken-away portion of the plug-member of the connecter. showing inside elevation the two plugs, and i lustrating diagrammatically a resistance included in the circuit between the plugs.

. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the socketmember taken on the broken line 3--3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation on an enlarged scale of one of the sockets as shown in Fig.1. I

-Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through one of the sockets on the. broken line 5-5 in Fig. 1

Fig. 6 sockets.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the broken line 77 in Fig. 5, through one is a top plan view of one of t e socket.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the same. Referring to the 'drawings'wherein the invention is shown in preferred form, I have shown the socket-member, l,' provid ed with two sockets, 3, and the plug-member, 2, provided with two plugs, 4, although my invention is equally applicable to a single socket. 3, and a single plug, 4.

In the tion ap lied to an electrical connecter used for or 'nary household devices such as toasters, 'cofiee percolators, electric flatirons and the like, in which case a plurality in diameter.

confined endwise between the contact-socket-members,

of the contact-plugs and the plug-enclosing.

drawings I have shown the inven- 1 'between the contact-socket and the inserted and the socket,

Serial N0- 61,460. I

the plug-member, 2, being the device to be heated by means of a resistance, 5, included in the circuit between the plugs, 4.

1 preferably make the plug in the form of a hollow post, split longitudinally along one side as shown at 6; and form the wall of the plug of two metals, 7 and 8 of split cylindrical form welded or otherwise securedtogether, the inner member, 8. having a higher coeflicient of expansion than the outer member, 7, whereby under the action of heat the post tends to expand or increase The plug may be made solid if preferred.

Each socket, 3, includes a contact-socket formed of two complementary members, 9 and 10, enclosed Wllll'lln a metal cage, 11, between two metal plates. 12, which are the'opposite ends or curvedinwardly of the cage and are bent to engage the respe .tive contact-socket members, said bent plates having a higher co-' efficient of expansion than the metal of which the sides of the which connect together the confining the cage.

Under the influence of heat, the plates, 12, tend. to elongate; and as the elongation is prevented or limited by the top and bottom of the cage with which the ends of the plates ends of cage are formed are in engagement, the plates tend to curve inwardly to a greater extent, thereby forcing 9 and 10, toward each otherand thus toward a contact-plug which may be inserted in the socket.

The bottom, 13, of the cage is formed with an opening, 14, adapted to freely adm1t a contact-plug for engagement with the comressible contact-socket.

For certain purposes of the invention the contact-socket may be made compressible in any known manner.

The operation of the device is as follows: A contact-plug, bottom opening, '14, in the cage into engagement with the cage-enclosed contact-socket which is made to substantially fit the plug with the socket of normal diameter.

does not fit sufficiently plu if the plug a contact-socket, the plug tightly within the includingthe plates,

. inserted plug.

A type to which this invention come heated, caiisin Any looseness in the fittin of the plug within the contact-socket is t us automatically corrected in the operation of the device. o

In the use of electrical connecters of the is particularly applicable, there is a tendency for the resilient and tempered-parts to become annealed under the action of eat heat developed in the use-of the electrically heated device to which the electric current is supplied It will also be understood that claims to through the connecter, resulting in loose contacts and resultant, arcing between contact-surfaces which shouldbe in close contact with each other.

My invention tends to overcome this difliculty by automatically increasing the pressure between contacting surfaces as the temperature of the connecter parts increases.

I do .not wish to, be limited to the constructions shown and above described, as, for certain purposes of the invention, various changes may'be'made in the form and arrangement of various parts of the device without departing from the spirit of the invention.

patentablefeatures of the connector illus trated, broader than those appended hereto, are not waived. Such' presented in the aforesai original application Serial Number 695,972, and one or more of the other divisional cases thereof heretofore filed.

What claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A connecter for electrical conductors including a compressible contact-socket, a socket-compressing member having a relatively high coeiiicient of expansion, and an intermediate portion bent to engage said contact-socket, said member being confined at its ends by members connected together by means having a lower coeflicient of expansion.

2; A connecter for electrical conductors ncluding a contact-socket formed of two -complementary members movable toward and from each other, a contact-socket-enclosing cage provided with a plug opening, and a pair of socket-compressing plates confined endwise between the ends of the cage, said plates having a higher coefficient of expansion than the sides of the cage and having their intermediate portions bent to engage the respective contact-socket members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of September, 1925.

WILLIAM J. GAGNON.

eneric claims are 

